The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-07-30
A NIGHT IN A TOMB.


The ancient Egyptians believed that
after the lapse of many ages the spirits
of the dead returned to. and restored to
life, the bodies they originally inhabited
Hence their care to preserve the mortal
remains of their deceased friends. It is
to this belief that we are indebted for
the mummies which are found through
out Egypt in great numbers, despite
the plundering Of tombs which has been
in progress for many hundreds Of years,
During the lifetime of q King his tomb
was made ready. Many of the royal
resting places are of great extent. They
are excavated in the solid rock, and
consist of series of chambers, of which
only one is actually used as tomb. 1t
is rarely less than three hundred feet
from the entrance Of the excavation to
the mausoleum chamber, while some of
the tombs have q linear extent of seven
or eight hundred feet.
After the completion of the funeral
ceremonies, great pains were taken to
conceal the depository Of the royal
mummy. The mausoleum chamber
was sealed, and its entrance walled up
in as close an imitation as possible Of
the surrounding rock. This imitation
was so successful that modern explor-
ers have sometimes been deceived, and
the location Of the chamber has only
been ascertained by pounding on the
walls and carefully noticing the sound
produced by the blows.
The outer entrance of the tomb was
similarly closed and made to resemble
the side of the mountain where the ex-
cavation had been made. Rock and
sand were piled against it. and the
rains assisted in the work of conceal
ment by washing down the debris.
The workmen who had been EN-
ployed in and about the tomb were sent
to distant parts of the country. or into
the army; or put to death and converted
into mummies, in order to make sure
that they should reveal nothing. No
records were kept, and thus it was
hoped that in short time the location
of tomb would be totally lost.
This was not always the case, as
some Of the tombs were plundered in
ancient times. and others were emptied
of their tenants and reoccupied. But
q considerable number were successful
ly concealed until the present century,
and were discovered by European in
vestigators.
Less than ten years ago royal tomb
was discovered near the site of ancient
Thebes. More than thirty royal num-
mics were found in the tomb, and are
now in the museum at Cairo.
There are Kings and Queens Of
several families and dynasties, and
some Of them are admirably preserved.
King Pinotem L, who lived and died
more than three thousand years ago,
can be readily designated as Of Nubian
origin. and the photograph of his
mummy might be taken for that of an
aged negro, dead only few honrs.
With the mummy of young Queen
lies that Of her pet gazelle, and also a
basket Of provisions which were in
tended for her use at the moment her
spirit should return and she breathed
once more in life. That feminine taste
in ancient Egypt was much like that Of
the present time is evinced by the store
of ointment-bottles, perfumery, paints,
powders and articles of apparel. thai
lay at the side Of the Queen when the
coffin was opened.
OF course. the news Of the discovery
of this royal tomb caused much excite
ment among all Egyptian scholars, and
there was great desire on the part of
travellers ascending the Nile to visit it.
The tomb is at Dayr-el-Baharee, in a
rocky valley near the ruins of Thebes,
and on the opposite side of the river
from modern Luxor.
A friend Of the writer visited this
tomb the year after it was opened, and
his adventure within it was one which
few would be willing to share. 1t is
described as nearly a. possible in his
own words:
II visited the new tomb at Dayr-el-
Baharee, accompanied by q boy who
drove my donkey and carried the can
dies and provisions intended for the
days occupation. i thought guide
vas unnecessary. and after unpacking
the provisions. sent the boy and donkey
back TO the river. - I intended walking
on my return.
10 enter the tomb It IL necessary to
descend perpendicular shaft nearly
forty feet deep, and a rough ladder has
been placed there to facilitate the
descent At the bottom Of the shaft
there is : narrow passage about twenty
feet long. and then you turn sharp
angle where the passage becomes